AIRSHOW NEWS: Participants announced for the Flying Legends Air Show

The Fighter Collection is delighted to announce that over 50 aircraft will be taking to the skies at the Flying Legends Air Show at IWMDuxford on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 July. The Flying Legends Air Show is famous the world over for its unique presentations of historic piston-engined aircraft in rare combinations and remarkable flying displays.

Highlights of this year’s Flying Legends Air Show include a rare display of 1930s Hawker aircraft, featuring two Hawker Nimrods and a Hawker Fury; four powerful and agile Second World War P-51 Mustangs ; five Curtiss Hawk aircraft; a pair of Douglas Dakotas and ten Supermarine Spitfires.

The Grumman Bearcat could out perform many of the early jet fighter aircraft of the late 1940s while the Grumman Wildcat FM-2 outranked its predecessors with a quick, fast-climbing, long-range
maneuverability.

The Curtiss P-36C has been meticulously restored over the last 4 years and is currently being shipped to the UK to perform her UK air show debut. This aircraft participated in the 1939 Cleveland Air Races before going on to serve with a number of squadrons on the US East Coast in the Second World War.

The Curtiss Hawk 75 is the only airworthy example left in the world. It wears an authentic Armee de l’Air three-tone scheme, with the Lafayette Escadrille Sioux Indian headmotif on the aircraft’s starboard side. You’ll recognise this as The Fighter Collection logo.

The Curtiss P-40C was used by Technical Training Command at Chanute Field, Illinois, USA in 1940. The Curtiss Warhawk P-40F, owned by The Fighter Collection, is one of only two airworthy examples of this aircraft in the world. It was shipped to the Thirteenth Air Force in the South West Pacific on Christmas Eve 1942.

The Goodyear Corsair FG-1D was the first fighter to exceed 400mph and had the longest production run of any American piston-engined fighter. It was a formidable fighter aircraft during the Second World War and later in the Korean War.

Supermarine Spitfire LFVb EP120 was credited with an impressive seven kills during the Second World War, six of which were won by pilot Squadron Leader Geoffrey Northcott, of 501 Squadron. After repair following a ground collision, the aircraft was assigned to 19 Squadron in Cornwall beforemoving to 402 ‘City ofWinnipeg’ Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force, whose colours the aircraft wears today.

Supermarine Spitfire FR XIV, owned by The Fighter Collection, wears a tributary colour scheme to honour Second World War RAF flying ace James Edgar “Johnnie” Johnson.

TF-51D Mustang Miss Velma was one of the last Mustang aircraft to be constructed at North American’s Dallas Plant. It served with the Air National Guard in the United States in the early 1950s.

Hawker Nimrod Mark I biplane flew with 408 Fighter flight of the Naval Air Squadron aboard HMS Glorious until 1938.

The Company’s Gloster Gladiator was the RAF’s last biplane fighter and the last of the 25 Mark II Gloster Gladiator aircraft to be built.

The Historic Aircraft Collection’s Hawker Fury is the only surviving Hawker Fury in the world. It was delivered to 43 Squadron at RAF Tangmere on 2 June 1936. Flying Officer F E Rosier, later to become Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rosier GCB, DBE, DSO, flew the Fury between 9 December 1936 and 22 February 1939. It was named Queen of the North and South. On his last flight in the aircraft, he commented in his log “Last fling in Queen of North and South . Perfect.”

As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain this year, expect to see ten Supermarine Spitfires and two Hawker Hurricanes take to the air over IWM Duxford’s historic Battle of Britain airfield.

The Hawker Hurricane Mk II owned by Hawker Restorations was built in 1940. It was delivered to 253 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsey on 13 July 1940 and was flown by Pilot Officer W M C Samolinski. Seven weeks later, it was attacked by a Messerschmitt BF110. The aircraft was involved in many Battle of Britain dogfights and later claimed the destruction of a BF110 over Redhill in Surrey.

The Historic Aircraft Collection’s Hawker Hurricane XII has been repainted in RAF markings as P3700, a Hurricane Mark I, coded RF-E of No 303 (Polish) Squadron. The original P3700 was abandoned by Sergeant Kazimierz Wunsche over Poynings , Kent on 9 September 1940 after sustaining damage froma Bf 109 over Beachy Head.

The Spitfires taking to the skies at the Flying Legends Air Show include marques showcasing the lineage of the design of this iconic fighter. Supermarine Spitfire Mark Ia G-CFGJ was shot down when flying fromRAF Hornchurch in the hands of Squadron Leader Geoffrey Stephenson. The aircraft made a wheels-up landing on the beach near Sangatte, France, on 25 May 1940. Covered by sea and sand, the aircraft was forgotten until it was discovered and recovered in 1986. It was meticulously rebuilt by Historic Flying and was flown again on 26 March 2014.

Joining this magnificent example of the very early days of Spitfire design include a Second World War veteran MkV, a Spitfire MkVIIIc which was flown by the famous ATA pilot Mary Wilkens, Spitfire MkIXb which was air tested by the legendary Alex Henshaw, a Spitfire MkIXe which flew from RAF Duxford with No.312 Squadron and is visiting Flying Legends 2015 from the USA, , the Air Leasing Spitfire Mk IXT which flew 176 operational combat sorties and is credited with shooting down the first enemy aircraft over the Normandy beaches on D-Day and a Spitfire MkXIX known as the “Rolls Royce” Spitfire and another griffon engined Spitfire MkXIX.

Messerschmitt Bf109G-4

Making its début appearance at the Flying Legends Air Show this year is the Bf (Me) 109G-4 Red Seven operated by Airbus Group – Flugmuseum Messerschmitt. D-FWME Red Seven was originally a Spanish production aircraft and was rebuilt into a G-4 version with a DB 605A engine. It will be accompanied at the Flying Legends Air Show by a Bf109 Buchon which was used in the famous Battle of Britain film. The aircraft now wears the Luftwaffe, North African colour scheme of a Bf109 F-4/trop used by Major Eric Gerlitz of the famous Jagdgeschwader 53 ‘Pik-As’ (Ace of Spades) unit in Egypt in July 1942.

Also flying is a another Bf109 Buchon which was also used in the Battle of Britain film and later in the movie Valkyrie.

Also making its worldwide début air show appearance is a Supermarine Seafire LFIII. This aircraft arrived with 809 Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm in 1945, serving on HMS Stalker. It flew with 767 Squadron before being transferred to the French Aeronavale then later to 1F9 when it operated from the carrier Arromanches in Indo China.

The last remaining airworthy Bristol Blenheim makes only its second air show appearance following an extensive 12-year restoration project. B-17 Flying Fortress Sally B celebrates its 70th birthday and an amazing 40 years on the air show display circuit.

The Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 was one of the fastest single piston-engined aircraft ever built. This Sea Fury was built in 1949 and after service with the Fleet Air Arm, was sent out to Iraq in 1959.

Three P-51 Mustangs take to the skies at the Flying Legends Air Show: P51-D Mustang Moonbeam McSwine which was flown by Captain W Whisner during the Second WorldWar; a TF-51 Mustang and a P-51D Mustang which flies in the colour scheme of Lieutenant Blanchford, 112 Squadron of the RAF, which operated from Italy in 1945 on ground-attack missions over the Balkans and along the Adriatic coast.

The Flying Bulls make a welcome return to the Flying Legends Air Show with their stunning B-25J Mitchell, F4U-4 Corsair and P-38 Lightning. The P-38 Lightning is a very rare model and the only example of a P-38 in Europe.

The F4U-5NL Corsair flies in the colour scheme of the Flying Nightmares, one of the most important operational units of the US Marines.

Three L4 Grasshoppers display in the Flying Legends Air Show. the Frazerblades L4A Grasshopper was first issued to 126 Observation Squadron at Lawson Army Airfield, USA , in 1942, after which it was assigned to French Morocco for North African French use. It was moved to Italy to serve with the 12th Air Force Army Ground Forces and then diverted to French Forces. Adrian Paul Acres’ L4J Grasshopper was issued to the Eighth Air Force in 1942 as a hack aircraft in France. The Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar’s L4H Grasshopper served with the US Ground Forces in Europe during the Second World War.

Also taking part in the Flying Legends Air Show is the Swiss based Grumman TBM Avenger which wears the US markings of Marine Torpedo Squadron 132 based on the Escort Carrier USS Cape Gloucester in the Pacific in 1945; the Morane 406 which was built for the Swiss Air Force during the Second World War; Douglas C-53D-DO Dakota which participated in United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force operations from October 1943 to 1945; a Douglas DC-3, which was leased to the US Army between 1942 and 1944; the Junkers Ju52, which was built in Spain in 1943 and the aerobatic Bucker Jungmann flown by The Fighter Collection pilot Anna Walker.

With these historic aircraft, from across the world, taking to the skies, the Flying Legends Air Show promises an unmissable fusion of power, sound, excitement and nostalgia. The balbo, a massed formation finale featuring many of the aircraft which have taken part in the stunning flying display, is unique to the Flying Legends Air Show and a world-renowned spectacle.

Join us for the Flying Legends Air Show; a unique air show experience. Air show tickets are on sale at iwm.org.uk/duxford

Ticket prices for the Flying Legends Air Show

For overseas postal delivery we strongly recommend booking tickets no later than Friday 26 June.Advance booking for the Flying Legends Air Show closes on Tuesday 30 June.

Advance ticket pricesGeneral tickets

Adult (16-59 years) £31.05

Senior (60 years and over) £24.30

Child (5-15 years) £16.30

Child (4 years or under) free

Disabled Visitor (proof of disability £16.30
allowance required)

Carer (one carer per disabled visitor) free

Group tickets
Group tickets for the Flying Legends Air Show are only available when booking in advance. Group rates apply to groups of 15 ormore paying visitors. Group tickets can only be booked by telephone. Call our Box Office on 01223 499 353.

Group Adult £29.30

Group Senior £22.95

Group Child £15.40

Group Disabled £15.40

Tour Guide (registered tour guide) free

Member tickets
Member tickets are available in advance and on the day

Friends of Duxford Adult £27.60

Friends of Duxford Senior £21.60

Friends of Duxford Junior ticket £14.50

Gold Pass
Gold Pass offers relaxed entertaining at its best. Enjoy a first-rate view of the flying action and access to our hospitality marquee, which will cater for all your refreshment needs. Get a closer view of our historic aircraft with complimentary access to the flight line walk. Pre-book a delicious two-course buffet lunch and relax in comfort as you enjoy the afternoon’s flying display.

Gold Pass Ticket Prices:

Gold Pass £80

Gold Pass with lunch £111.50

Gold Pass Two Days £145

Gold Pass Two Days with lunch £208

Gold Pass Group £72.50

Gold Pass Group with lunch £104

Group rates apply to groups of 15 or more paying visitors. Group tickets can only be booked by telephone. Call our Box Office on 01223 499 353. Our VIP hospitality Pass, the Flying Legends Bremont Flight Lounge, offers guests an unrivalled air show experience.

The Bremont Flight Lounge, which is only available at the Flying Legends Air Show, offers guests an elegant and luxurious setting in prime position for the flying action. You’ll enjoy VIP parking close to the Flying Legends Bremont Flight Lounge. Guests arriving by air receive a complimentary landing fee and VIP shuttle to the enclosure.

Join your guests in our tastefully-themed luxurymarquee and garden enclosure, located opposite the flight line, where you’ll be looked after by our dedicated event hostess. Enjoy the very best hospitality, fromtea, coffee and biscuits on arrival to a Pimms and canapes reception, followed by a gourmet buffet lunch and concluding with an English afternoon tea.

Enjoy complimentary access to the flight line walk, where you can enjoy a closer look at the historic aircraft on display, then sit back and relax in the comfort of the Bremont Flight Lounge garden while you enjoy an unrivalled view of the flying action.

Tickets for the Bremont Flight Lounge cost £225 + VAT per person. To book tickets for the Bremont
Flight Lounge please email flyvip@fighter-collection.com

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